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Jim Garrett

Office: E & T 608
Mail Room: E & T 637
Office Hours:  Tuesday 3:30-5:00, Wednesday 4:30-6:00, Thursday 10:30-11:30
Campus Phone:  (323) 343-4163
Email: jgarret@calstatela.edu
Course Web Site: http://www.calstatela.edu/faculty/jgarret/382

Objective The purpose of this course is relatively straight-forward:  To work on improving your ability to think critically about texts (in whatever form you encounter them) and communicate clearly your ideas.  Each of us must consider the acts of reading and writing as ways of making the world, of making it cohere or come apart, of inscribing it with purpose and meaning.

Course Requirements The reading assigned for this course is neither difficult nor long. I do expect, however, everyone to read carefully and thoughtfully, so that the reading can become a springboard for our class discussions. In addition to reading assignments for most classes, there are group and writing assignments throughout the quarter, so you will need to be diligent about planning ahead and completing your tasks on time.  Listed below are the required assignments for this course:

1. Two presentations (either group or individual) (10% each; total of 20% of course grade)

2. Two short essays (approximately 4-5 pages in length) (50% of course grade)

3. A final examination (20% of course grade)

4. Attendance and participation (discussion, pop quizzes (if any), in-class writing). (10% of course grade)

Please note that all assignments (the readings, the essays, the responses, and the exams) are required.  You must satisfactorily complete all assignments to pass the course.

Policies                       

Grading Policy: Course grades are determined by an evaluation of your portfolio by two current English 096 instructors. The following grades are used:

CR—Credit:                You pass the course and are eligible to enroll in English 101
NC—No Credit:         You must retake English 096

Cell Phones and Pagers: Please turn off all cell phones, pagers, portable radios, televisions, computers, MP3/CD/Disc/Mini-disc players, and any other electronic communication and/or entertainment devices before coming to class.

Contacting the Instructor: Email is the most effective way of communicating with me.

Attendance: Attendance is mandatory. I will take attendance at the start of every class. If you are not present I will mark you absent. Arriving late will count as half of an absence. You are allowed one absence without penalty. Each absence beyond the first one will reduce your course grade. If you miss more than four classes you will be disqualified from taking the final and therefore will fail the class.

Please read the assigned texts before class. Often I will offer some guidelines about future reading assignments in class. For example, I might tell you to focus on a particular character or scene for the next class meeting. If you are absent, you are responsible for getting the assignment from a classmate.

Written Assignments: Please note the following carefully when preparing your written assignments for this class:

• Written assignments must be typed following standard formatting practices for college writing—use a readable type style (12 point type), indent paragraphs, double space between lines, and use one inch margins. Any style guide will contain information on formatting your written assignments for submission.

• Before handing in written assignments, edit and proofread your work carefully.

• Do not use plastic covers or report folders or title pages on your written assignments. Each assignment, though, should have your name, the course number, the date, and my name on separate lines (double-spaced) in the upper left corner of the first page. If the paper has a title, center it on the first page, after the above information.

• Use page numbers and place them in the upper right corner of the page. If you are uncertain how to have word processing software generate the correct page number in the header of your document, ask someone in one of the labs.

• MLA format and style conventions should be followed for all written assignments (essays and responses). For more information on MLA format and style conventions, see The MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, the appropriate section of a recent (published after 2000) writer’s handbook, or one of the many reputable online sources.

Late papers are not accepted. The assignment due dates are distributed on the first day of class, and the assignments are made available often weeks before they are due.

Academic Dishonesty/Cheating: Collaborating with others is encouraged when you are planning your papers, reviewing each other’s work, preparing for presentations or for exams. Study or reading groups can be effective ways to study and learn. However, when you write your papers, the text needs to be your own.

You must carefully observe the standard rules for acknowledging the sources of words and ideas. If you make use of a phrase or a quote or if you paraphrase another writer’s words or ideas, you must acknowledge the source of these words or ideas telling us the source of these materials. APA and MLA style differ on the exact format of this attribution, but the simple version is the name of the author and the page number (if appropriate) in parentheses at the end of the sentence containing the use of the source material. If you fail to acknowledge properly the source of your text, you will receive a zero on the assignment and be reported to the Student Disciplinary Officer.

If you plagiarize or otherwise misrepresent the source of your work, you will receive a zero on the assignment and be reported to the Student Disciplinary Officer.